Elastic overshoes of various types have been known for decades. They are typically worn to keep the wearer's feet warm and dry during cold and/or wet weather, but are also used in hospitals, restaurants, factories, and other areas where floors can be slippery.
Previously known overshoes generally comprise a unitary construction, such as, for example, that found in a continuous molded rubber product. This is done to facilitate construction of the overshoe using a single, inexpensive molding process. Unfortunately, in such cases both the upper region and the sole are necessarily made of the same material, which is then intended to satisfy the competing needs of elasticity and grip.
One solution to these competing needs is to fashion the sole with a raised tread pattern. Such tread patterns are designed to improve traction and thus reduce the likelihood of the wearer accidentally slipping. Although somewhat effective, the inherent tradeoff resulting from the use of a given material usually means that either the overshoe is insufficiently elastic (requiring manufacture and stocking of many different sizes), or the overshoe has insufficient traction.
There is yet a third tradeoff, namely that materials satisfying both elasticity and traction can have undesirable durability characteristics. Among other things previously known overshoes tend to wear out prematurely, rip, or in some other manner become dysfunctional.
Thus, there is still a need for an overshoe that has adequate elasticity, as well as enhanced slip resistance, and high durability.